Oxychlorination is the process where ethylene is converted to 1,2-dichloroethane. This reaction can take place in a vapor phase reaction over a fluidized catalyst bed in a mixture of ethylene, hydrogen chloride, and oxygen (e.g. pure oxygen or air). Copper catalysts supported on alumina supports are well known in the art of oxychlorination catalysts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5, 292,703 teaches a catalyst for oxychlorination of ethylene to produce 1,2-dichloroethane, where the catalyst includes copper chloride, at least one alkali metal, at least one rare earth metal, and at least one Group IIA (i.e. alkaline earth metal) metal on a support such alumina. This catalyst purportedly results in high percent ethylene efficiency, high dichloroethane product purity, and high percent HCl conversion without exhibiting catalyst stickiness. As the skilled person understands, catalyst stickiness refers to an agglomeration of catalyst particles and can deleteriously impact ethylene and hydrogen chloride feedstock efficiencies in a fluid bed oxychlorination process.
U.S. Publ. No. 2009/0054708 discloses an oxychlorination catalyst that is designed for use in a baffled bed reactor. The catalyst includes 5.5 to 14 wt % copper, alkaline earth metal, alkali metal, and rare earth metal, with the limitation that the amount of alkali metal is no higher than 1 wt %. The reference discloses that it has been found that significant levels of alkali metal in the catalyst increases susceptibility to stickiness.